My new home made tarp

[Badger74]

Following on from an earlier thread about suitable materials for a tarp, I decided to sew together my own.

I currently have the standard green DD 3m x3m but I wanted a camo tarp at least 3m x 3m at a sensible cost and the only one I could find for sale was the DD camo one but I didnt like the pattern. So a search on everyones favorite auction site for waterproof fabric turned up 10m x 1.5m of 4oz ripstop nylon in a similar pattern to the old US woodland DPM, which I won.

Today I have spent 7 hours sat at a sewing machine wondering what possesed me to do it, and ended up with this.


IMG00092-20110521-1911 by chrstphrferg, on Flickr


IMG00091-20110521-1910 by chrstphrferg, on Flickr

It's 3.4m long by 2.9m wide, has 9 attatchment points with shock cord and weighs about 1.5kgs, so its not for the lightweight junkies(but not to sure about the scales so it might be a bit less). I intend to add a further 8 attatchment points in between those already there and silicone seal the seams.

It's having a baptism of fire tonight as its set up in the garden in the quite high winds that we are currently having in Leeds. If it holds up then I'll seal the seams tomorrow.

Thanks for looking.

 

[MartinK9]

Nice one. Let us know how you get on.

 

[JAG009]

Very well done


Jason

 

[Minstrel]

Nice job mate.

 

[Shewie]

Very nice mate, 4 0z should stand up well to some really nasty weather.

Look forward to hearing how it fairs

 

[bilmo-p5]

Good work, Badger. I'll be making a start on my new 3x3 in the morning.

 

[Badger74]

Well i've checked on it this morning and everything inside is dry, so that works There has been a wee bit of stretch in the shock cords so its a tad saggy but thats not the end of the world as Friday night my DD sagged with all the condensation. There is no condensation. The material was sold as breathable and it has a green film on the inside so that looks like it works as well, but to be honest eventually it will come off as it doesnt seem to hard wearing, but it will make the weight less. The stitching has held together well and nothing has come off.

So smiles all round.

 

[ex member mick sturbs]

Looks great ! i dont particulary like the DD patern either, but yours is smart, not sure about the pink pillows ! Anyway better get back on the sewing machine as i will be placing my order shortly...

 

[Biker]

Yeah I clocked those pink pillows as well, pointed and sniggered. All "Bush cred" ruined in one badly composed photo. LOL!

Seriously though, really nice job that Badger. Well bloody done!

 

[drewdunnrespect]

Looking good mate and well dunn

 

[Ch@rlie]

I like that a lot mate, very nice.
Think a camo tarp is now added to my project list.

I like the bit that say's.

Well i've checked on it this morning and everything inside is dry

think I'd of slept under it to test it out. new toy an all that...

 

[RonW]

Great job, indeed!!

 

[HHazeldean]

Great design,nice work there!

 

[Badger74]

To clarify, the pink loveheart pillow and disney pillow are my 6 yr old daughters; she spent the night before out with me in the bivi bag while I had the hammock. Thats why I had a night inside last night and checked on it this morning.

Thanks for the kind comments. Some of the stiching is a bit ropey with a couple of places not 'flat' with a bit of material rucking at these two points. I do need to add acouple more ridge loops along with the extra lashing points round the edges i've already mentioned.

Mick, if you want one I'm afraid you'll have to wait a long long time unless you remortgage to pay for it cos thats how much I enjoyed doing it ;-)

 

[Sideburnt]

Great job, I know what you mean though.

I've got a 3x3 polycotton tarp materials just sitting there waiting to be made. What was I thinking?!?, i'm getting married in less than two weeks.

I seem to be cursed with Sewing Machines too, and usually get that ball of cotton that clogs everything up on the inside and needs an hour of picking apart.

I've asked multiple times why that only seems to happen to me, and the answer is usually "well I don't know, I get on fine"

 

[DIM TIM]

Very Nice. I have several yards of some different camo material that I got from my mother some years back, and I have been trying to figure out what to do with some of it. Most of it is the old U.S. Woodland Camo, and not the Rip-Stop Nylon, but a light weave cotton.......still, with a bit of heavy spray of some of the 3M Scotchguard, it just might work good enough to make myself one.

Many thanks there Badger74. I'll have to give it a go as it were.

 

[topknot]

Nice job you made of that, whats next?

Topknot

 

[PaulSanderson]

great job there...i like that a lot...

 

[Badger74]

Whats next is to finish the rest of the attachment points and a sack for it out of the same material with compression straps.